Quote Originally Posted by MFauli View Post
You misunderstood my point: Can Benno prevent it without dying?

The answer imo is no, hence why the portrayed society basically has slave-status.

As for why Main should be the one to better this society: Because she's the one who can.
It's not a slave-like status just because there's a ruler with absolute power. Go back a few centuries in our world and most countries were like that. It doesn't mean all of our forefathers were slaves. There would undoubtedly be consequences for Sylvester, as the lord, if he started to use his power haphazardly. Not only indirectly by ruining the economy of the city but he would certainly lose the support from many a noble family. That would probably lead to getting ousted and killed. No man can lead a country alone. For all we know, there could still be laws he has to follow as well.

I'm not sure Main can live long enough to change everything. A human life isn't that long, compared to the great changes needed. She could certainly get things started. Unlike in our world, the problem is the magic in that world. Nobles have magic, commoners don't. That a physical difference between nobles and everyone else, and it's not inconsequential either because magic can be used as a powerful weapon. Main would need to destroy that concrete barrier to change things for good. Like David already said, if all children with devouring could be saved, and they didn't automatically become fodder for the noble families (or get adopted in the best case scenarios), then it alone would begin to change things. It wouldn't happen overnight, though.